ProverbHuman Nature
Spanish origin
Spanish originLoro viejo no aprende a hablar
Meaning: It is hard to learn new things when you are old.
Literally: An old parrot doesn't learn to speak
Example: “Mi abuelo no quiere usar el móvil. Loro viejo no aprende a hablar.” — My grandfather won't use a cell phone: you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Equivalents in English, German, and Russian
English: You can't teach an old dog new tricks
German: Was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr (literally: What little Hans doesn't learn, grown Hans will never learn)
Russian: Старого учить — что мёртвого лечить (Starogo uchit' — chto myortvogo lechit') (literally: Teaching the old is like healing the dead)
Origin: Parrots learn to talk when young; an old one keeps the words it already has.
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